Western Pride v Souths

Sasha McDonnell netted a hat-trick as Western Pride Women stormed to a 6-0 win over Souths United Women at Briggs Road Complex on Sunday night.

Lorena Maggio’s side was untroubled from beginning to end in notching a second win from six matches.

McDonnell got the scoring underway in the 11th minute by looping a long-range effort over Megan Byriel to make it 1-0.

The former Canberra United and Brisbane Roar W-League player then grabbed a second just two minutes later, turning home good work from Kara Mowbray in the left channel.

Roles should have been reversed a short while later when McDonnell teed up Mowbray, but the latter overran the opportunity.

That lost chance mattered little though as Kate Morton made any comeback unlikely by finishing from the top of the box to make it 3-0 at half time.

Souths managed to stay in the contest for around 15 minutes either side of the break but Pride’s pressure eventually told just prior to the hour as Veronica Williams’ dribble and shot squeezed through Byriel.

The ‘keeper next did well to hold a McDonell attempt but couldn’t prevent the Pride star from completing her hattrick in the 72nd minute with a shot on the turn from inside the area.

The scoring was completed 10 minutes later as Mowbray poked home a floated cross to seal the home side’s emphatic victory.

Speaking after the match, Pride player/coach Lorena Maggio hoped the Ipswich side would carry its form into next week’s visit of Olympic FC Women.

“It’s good to get three points again tonight. I think if we can play the way we did, and finish the way we did tonight, we can continue with some more points,”

Souths coach Byron Hellmuth, meanwhile, considered the performance an improvement on recent weeks.

“I’m happy with a fair bit of the game. There’s still a bit to work on but we did have a few positives to come out of the game despite the scoreline,” Hellmuth said.